


Pursuing A Dream

by BSBLover2538



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Engagement, F/F, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Foster Care, Picnics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:01:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29249211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BSBLover2538/pseuds/BSBLover2538
Summary: Kevin had been wanting to foster for years, and a little girl comes into his life, changing it in ways he never expected.
Relationships: Kristin Richardson/Rochelle Karidis (minor relationship)
Kudos: 1





	Pursuing A Dream

Kevin groaned softly as he opened his eyes, a toddler’s cries waking him up. 2:43AM stared back at him as he shivered slightly, the cold air hitting his body as he stretched out, the blankets shifting. Hearing the wails once again, he extracted himself from the bed, and walked towards the nursery down the hall. On his way, he bumped the heat up in the home a bit, and rubbed his eyes. It was a colder November night, and he had forgotten how cold it really could get in late fall in Kentucky sometimes. 

“Hey baby girl” he cooed, opening the door. His three year old daughter stood up against the rail of her crib, looking at him with tears on her cheeks. 

“Daddy!” Mika cried out, and Kevin swept her into his arms, holding her close. 

He gently swayed his body, Mika snuffling softly as she calmed down. Kevin ran his large hand across her head and down her back, trying to radiate calm as much as he could. He knew why his daughter was upset, these nightmares had been frequent since Kevin adopted her a month earlier. 

“Daddy, scary, dream” Mika sniffed out, and Kevin cooed softly, nodding his head. He knew Mika still struggled with her speech, especially after a nightmare. But his daughter had made such strides with her speech issues, and Kevin was thrilled with how far she had come.

“I know pumpkin, but Daddy is here, and I’ll always be here for my little bee” Kevin softly spoke, never noticing his brother leaning against the door jamb, watching the entire scene. Mika didn’t notice either, and Kevin had her sleeping back in her crib peacefully with her favorite unicorn toy a few minutes later. 

“Tim, why are you awake?” Kevin looked at his older brother confused as he turned back to go back to bed. Tim had come over to spend time with Kevin and Mika after the adoption had become final. 

“I heard Mika’s cries, and wanted to make sure you weren’t in over your head little bro. But seeing that, I know you two are going to be just fine. You have this bro, you can do this, be that little girl’s father” Tim peered down at his slightly shorter little brother, and Kevin felt the tears spring to his eyes. 

“You sure? Feels like I am swimming in the deep ocean with no life preserver at times” the green eyed man muttered softly as he looked back into the nursery, Mika sleeping soundly. Kevin pulled her door over, and the two brothers started walking back down the hall towards Kevin’s room. 

“I’m positive. Mika has made such strides since you started fostering her early last year, and now that you have adopted her, it will be even better. The nightmares have eased, she’s back to a normal weight, and she’s meeting all her milestones. When you first got her, she was barely 20 pounds, she was bruised all over, not meeting any milestones, and she was skittish of everyone and everything” Tim reminded his brother. 

It had been almost five years since Kevin had opened his foster license. He had left his singing gig after a lot of soul searching, getting a stay at home job doing sales. Since he had volunteered to be a Big Brother for his local Big Brother/Big Sister organization in college, Kevin had continually felt called to foster kids. Unsure if single males could do it, Kevin struggled for the first year to actually move forward. It took a meeting with another single foster dad to give Kevin the push he needed. 

“I know, I never thought her case would ever go out of reunification and go to adoption. It seemed for so long that the courts wanted her back with her biological parents. I am so thankful her mother and father realized that staying with me was the better solution for Mika. I know I can do this, I’ve been doing it for over a year now” Kevin looked up at Tim.

Kevin had had many kids come and go over the last four years, Mika the only one staying more than six months. Mostly Kevin did respite care, or short term foster situations. It was what he preferred, but he had never expected to get so attached to Mika. The need to adopt her was strong in him as the months wore on, especially after learning the extent of her situation. 

“Come on, get back to bed. I’m leaving in the morning. I know you are getting visitors tomorrow anyway” Tim smirked at his brother as Kevin lightly groaned and shoved him towards the guest room. 

“I know. Night bro” Kevin yawned and moved into his room, Tim going in the other room to fall back asleep. The house quieted down again, and the hours flowed by as the three occupants of the home slept peacefully for the rest of the night. 

As promised, a little after eight the next morning, Tim and Leslie left for home, leaving Mika and Kevin alone for the first time in a week. They wouldn’t be alone for long though. Two of Kevin’s closest college friends would be visiting in an hour, and Kevin couldn’t wait to see them. 

“Daddy, is Aunt Kris and Aunt Chelle visiting today?” Mika looked up at Kevin as she ate breakfast. 

“Yes pumpkin, they will be here in an hour. We are going to go to the park” Mika’s eyes lit up as she grinned. She loved going to the park, seeing all the doggies, and playing with her daddy. It was her favorite thing to do when it was nice outside. 

“Yay Daddy! Doggies and swings!” Mika nodded eagerly, and Kevin chuckled softly. He got her fed, and wrangled her into the bath before getting his daughter dressed. It was still surreal that he had a daughter, and as Kevin shook his head, getting out of his head, the doorbell rang. 

A few moments later had Kristin and Rochelle standing in the living room, Rochelle holding Mika closely as the toddler rapidly spoke to her two aunts. The two women kept their focus on the three year old as Kevin got their bag together for the day. 

“Hi Kevin!” Kristin looked at her best friend, and Kevin grinned, walking over, giving both women a chaste kiss on the cheek in greeting. 

“Hey Kris, hey Ro, thanks for spending the day with Mika and I” Kevin greeted. 

“No problem Kev, happy to spend a beautiful Saturday at the park with this cutie” Kris replied, tickling Mika gently. Both women and Kevin grinned hearing the giggles coming from Mika. 

A few minutes later, the four got settled in Kevin’s car. Rochelle was up front with Kevin, while Kristin sat in the backseat next to Mika, keeping the toddler occupied. The ride to the park was short, and it was a warm-ish late November day. Kevin had Mika dressed in a long sleeve shirt, jeans, and boots with a thick windbreaker jacket on. 

“Come on princess, let’s go see if we can find any doggies” Kristin got Mika out of her car seat, and walked with her into the entrance to the park. Kevin and Rochelle grabbed the umbrella stroller, along with the bags that Kevin had packed for the day with everything he and Mika would need. Kristin would grab the cooler of food she and Rochelle had packed later. 

“Daddy! Doggie!” they heard a few moments later as they walked into the park, Mika petting a small pug gently. The preschooler had always loved dogs, no matter if they were big or small. Kevin had been considering adopting a dog, but still thought that he and Mika needed more time together just them. 

“I see pumpkin” Kevin bent down next to Mika and helped her pet the dog. 

“His name is Lennie” his owner, Andrew smiled as he watched the little girl pet his dog. Kevin held his hand out, and Lennie licked it gently before going back to Mika. A few minutes later, Andrew and Lennie were on their way, and Mike tore away from her father and aunts, going towards the playset. Rochelle trailed after her, leaving Kristin to talk to Kevin. 

“How’s it going Kevin?” the older woman asked as they settled on the park bench. 

“She had another nightmare last night. I am debating on when to open my foster license back up, but I’m not sure. Mika needs me right now” he sighed as he watched Rochelle chasing Mika. 

“Why don’t you wait six months before doing anything? You just finalized the adoption last month. Give it time; who knows Mika may tell you herself if she wants more people in the house again” Kristin replied, and Kevin looked at her, his head tilted in thought. 

Kevin had continued fostering through the whole time he was going through the adoption process with Mika. He had only stopped it when he had gotten that final court date so that he had alone time with Mika, and had told social services he would let them know when he would be available again. The dark haired man could already feel the itch to foster, but knew that his daughter needed him as well. 

“That’s a sound plan. I think that’s what I’ll do. Thanks Kris” Kevin grinned at her, and turned at his daughter’s voice. 

“Daddy, Aunt Kris, come play!” Mika called, and the two adults tumbled off their bench, heading towards Rochelle and Mika. The three adults chased Mika around, and played happily for a couple of hours before they could tell Mika was tiring. 

“Kris, go grab the food please” Rochelle called as she watched Mika yawn and reach for Kevin. That simple action still made Kevin’s heart soar, and he grinned as he picked his daughter up. 

A few minutes later, the small group was having a picnic in the grass. Kevin helped Mika out, and set up the umbrella stroller so she could nap after she ate. The three adults ate vociferously, scarfing down the food. Twenty minutes later, Mika was in her stroller sound asleep. 

“How’s the wedding planning going?” Kevin smirked as he looked at the two women in front of him. Kristin and Rochelle glanced at each other, shock in their features. They turned back to Kevin, mouths agape. 

“Rochelle has a new necklace, and you have a ring on your left hand. I’m guessing Ro proposed, and you got her a necklace afterwards” Kevin observed, and Kristin blushed. 

“She proposed last week. We knew you were still in the throes of adjusting to the adoption, and that we would see you today. No major wedding planning yet, but keep next September 18th open” 

Kevin smiled and leaned over, kissing both women’s cheeks softly. He knew they had been dating for a few years now, and frankly had been waiting for the engagement news for more than a year. 

“I am so thrilled for the two of you” he softly spoke, and they both grinned at him. 

“Mika is our flower girl” Rochelle looked at Kevin, who beamed. 

“Of course” 

The three adults chattered more about the upcoming wedding, Kevin’s job, the adoption, and more while Mika slept. The sun kept them plenty warm, and Kevin found that he couldn't have imagined a better way to spend a Saturday. 

Things were finally calming down in his life, and he was excited about his best friends’ wedding next year, along with seeing Mika grow even more. He knew he had made the right decision all those years ago to leave his gig, and pursue his dreams of fostering. Hopefully he could make a difference in more children’s lives, and his home would be open to any and all kids that needed fostering or adoption. 


End file.
